Friday, August 18, 2006

Books, books, books

One book that changed your life?Don't know about changing my life, but one "book" I keep going back to again and again is the Indian epic, the Mahabharata, in its various forms (from comic book through Rajagopalachari, Buck, Narasimhan and other versions). Not for any religious significance, but always for new insights in to human nature each time I read it. Marvellous.

One book you have read more than once?Let's see now, if I had to pick only one, I'll pick Dawkins' The Selfish Gene. Not without its flaws, but always raising questions. A classic.

One book you would want on a desert island?Hypothetically, "How to build a boat with no tools and a single coconut tree". Realistically, The SAS survival handbook. Get me out of there!

One book that made you laughAlmost all of P.G. Wodehouse's books and Terry Pratchett's books. A particular recent favorite is Pratchett's Small Gods.

One book that made you cryHaven't really cried after reading a book. But one book that left me really depressed was The scavenger's son.

One book you wish had been written?Heh...this must be the sequel to Louis L'amour's historical fictionThe walking drum. The hero, Kerbochard, was well on his way to India. Wonder what would have happened after he reached "Hind".

One book you wish had never been written?A book is a book. It always has some place.

One book you are currently reading?I'm usually reading two or three books at a time. Just finished the memoirs of Louis L'amour, The Te of Piglet, a collection of Nobel lectures.

Now go and spread some book love, and tell me about new and wonderful books. I'll be happy to link to your post here if you let me know.

4 comments:

I kept out PG Wodehouse, just to come up with what "other" books that I liked aprat from PGW...

My Louis L'amour knowledge is abysmal. Have read two og him, before 1990...almost forgotten what they were, some cowboy stories i guess....you seemd to have followed him closely...

Ya, Terry Pratchett is one guy i am yet to try. Because of my vice and what he has done. As I said in my post on books, if i like a guy i would go buy all of his/her works one by one..and i looked up in a book shop to realize terry has written over a 100 books...disc series etc. i said to myself i will wait before i run out of authors to pick him for humour and plunge....;)

Yes selfish gene is a good one. i am yet ot fully appreciate it...the later chapters were distracting for me and before a re-read, more books have already distracted me away...should go back to that one in this winter vacation...

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Disclaimer: This blog does not contain information about my professional/academic work. It is a personal blog discussing science, education, development and society with occasional other writing on books, travel and movies.